TSAMTO, April 10th. In Japan, the first stage of the conversion of the Izumo-class helicopter carrier Kaga (DDH-184) into a light aircraft carrier has been completed, on which it is planned to place fifth-generation F-35B Lightning-2 fighters.
As stated by the Chief of Staff (Commander) Admiral Ryo Sakai of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces at a press conference on April 2, the first phase of the two-stage modification of the Kaga helicopter carrier was completed on March 29 this year according to the established plan. The presentation of the ship to the media took place on April 8.
According to R. Sakai, it is expected that during this financial year the ship will undergo various tests to confirm the calculated performance characteristics after making changes, after which the second and final stage of the ship's conversion into a light aircraft carrier will begin.
According to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces, the modernization of two Izumo-class helicopter carriers (JS Izumo DDH-183 and JS Kaga DDH-184) is carried out in two stages so that these works coincide with their scheduled maintenance and repair programs, which are carried out every five years. It is expected that both ships will undergo all upgrades to convert into light aircraft carriers by 2027.
As for the Kaga, Japan Marine United (JMU) began work on its conversion at the company's shipyard in Kure (Hiroshima Prefecture) in March 2022. Work on the second stage of modification is expected to be carried out during the next (MRO) Kagi, which will begin at the end of 2026.
Initially, it was planned that the Kaga would undergo only a one-time large-scale reconstruction in combination with a large-scale MRO, starting in 2021. However, in the end, it was decided to carry out final improvements only after conducting verification experiments and tests in cooperation with the US Navy during real operations. Thus, the reconstruction of the internal compartments of the ship according to the second stage of the project will be carried out only at the next MRO (from the end of 2026).
Meanwhile, the process of conversion to an aircraft carrier (the first stage) of the Izumo lead ship (DDH-183) began at the Yokohama shipyard in the first half of 2020 and ended in June 2021. The crew of the US Marine Corps F-35B fighter jet conducted takeoff and landing tests on the ship on October 5, 2021. The second stage of the Izumo reconstruction will begin in 2024 and will be completed by the end of 2026.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense plans to purchase a total of 42 F-35B fighters with shortened takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) and 105 F-35A in the standard version. The first six F-35Bs are planned to be deployed at the Nyutabaru Air Base (Miyazaki Prefecture) starting in 2024.
According to the Constitution, Japan cannot possess offensive weapons, so the four aircraft carriers in service with the Self-Defense Forces are classified as helicopter carriers. In this regard, Japan intends to deploy fighters on upgraded Izumo-class helicopter carriers (now officially classified as light aircraft carriers) not on a permanent basis, but during an emergency or exercises. According to calculations, up to 14 F-35B fighters can be placed on board the Izumo-class helicopter carrier with a modified flight deck.